SubscribeWHICH AIRLINE IS YOUR FAVORITE TO COLLECT
10:07 AM PST, 7/28/2009
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TWA AIRLINES c1950 ILLUSTRATED BROCHURE...Constellation seat maps & history
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WHICH AIRLINE IS YOUR FAVORITE TO COLLECT?
My answer is an easy one.
They weren't the biggest, the best, most successful, and sometimes seemed nearly pathetic, but I still love to collect items from LAKE CENTRAL AIRLINES. I guess it figures since I grew up in the Great Lakes region, and Lake Central was one of the regional carriers that served Cleveland Hopkins Airport. The other three regionals included North Central, Mohawk and Allegheny. Watching them was a diversion from the dominate carriers at CLE like United, American, and Northwest. As a kid my only income was from my newspaper route, and much of the money I earned went out to Lake Central. My sister lived near the Akron/Canton airport (CAK). I would save up the $6.00 fare to ride a DC-3 from CLE to CAK. I didn't need to go, I just loved to fly in airliners. Sometimes I'd get a Convair 340, and once even a Nord 262. If anyone in my family went along for the ride their fare was a thrifty $4.60. At that price I could get off the CLE spectator deck and on to a real airliner. I remember those 20 minute flights and the sights along the way. One time we flew directly over Akron, Ohio's Goodyear Air-dock, but no blimps outside that day.
I know a few things about Lake Central, but if you can add or correct anything let me know. Please remember to add your comments about an airline that you like to collect too! Don't feel you need to be as long winded as I because any feedback will be appreciated. Or just comment or say Hi.
Lake Central was founded by Roscoe Turner who was born in 1895 fell in love with aviation in 1913. He wanted to be an Army pilot in WWI, but was turned down because of his lack of education. After discharged he did begin to fly old surplus aircraft and became a barnstormer, followed by a career in air racing. He was very flamboyant usually seen with a manicured mustache and holding his pet lion cub Gilmore. Later in life he received the Distinguished Flying Cross from the U.S. Government for his achievements in aviation. He went on and filed to start a new regional airline Turner Airlines. Later it became Lake Central Airlines. Purdue University was also involved with the new Lake Central.
Lake Central flew Beech Bonanzas at the beginning, but added easy to find and well maintained Douglas DC-3s from larger airlines like Braniff, Eastern, TWA, and Northeast. It's home was Weir Cooke Airport in Indianapolis, Indiana. Over the years there were attempts of a takeover by Hal Carr and his North Central Airlines. It probably made a lot of sense since Lake Central route structure was painfully short, and driving was sometimes an attractive alternative. The fleet continued to grow with many more DC-3's and even one Curtiss Commando C-46 for cargo. As routes matured Lake Central chose the recently retired United Airlines Convair 340s to increase seats on prime routes. Later pressure was on to replace the aging DC-3 fleet. They were the last regional to fly the "Gooniebird", while some regionals were going jet power with the million dollar Fairchild F-27, and even jets like Mohawk with the BAC-111.
In an effort to modernize Lake Central turned to a new product from Aérospatiale Aircraft of France. The Nord 262 was a improved version of the Max Holste MH.250 Super Broussard, and powered by two Turbomeca Bastan jet-prop engines. This choice made a lot of sense since the 262 was smaller and less expensive than the F-27, yet it featured things the DC-3 didn't have like pressurization, radar, jet prop power, and tricycle landing gear. Americans view of Europes aviation manufacturing was very positive with United flying the popular, reliable and attractive French Caravelle Jet. The downside was the crews weren't exactly happy with the type, but that just got worse. There were a couple of engine explosions on the ground, one involving a passenger losing a limb. Things got so bad some of the retired and disassembled DC-3's were reassembled and placed back into action. To make matters worse Lake Central was the authorized seller of the type in North America. Later the 262 original engines would be re engineered by Turbomeca Bastan and continue on as the Nord II or re powered with Pratt & Whitney 298 turboprop as the Mohawk 298. With the new engines the plane proved to be a winner and following life right into the Allegheny Airlines years with a new purple livery with gold text.
Lake Central followed other airlines by converting their Convairs to jet-prop power using the General Motors Allison 501D engine. That engine had proven itself in the C-130 Hercules, and later in the Lockheed L-188 Electra II (after flaws were corrected engine mounts to wing design). Now Lake Central would join the likes of Frontier, North Central, and Allegheny and convert their 340's to the jet powered Convair 580. This certainly made a lot of sense too. With public opinion quite low after the Nord 262 incidents, the new 580 would make good headlines. Poor Lake Central, not long after the conversions one was lost over a field in Ohio. All were killed as the Allison engine came apart. Later it was discovered an error in heat treating (or lack of) caused the fatal crash. Here Lake Central was the victim of two engine related accidents. Some of the blame was put on Lake Central's maintenance, but most of the blame was clearly the engine manufacturers. Later flaws in other 501D engines were found on the other carriers 580 fleet, but corrected before any accidents. Boeing proposed that Allison provide the pure jet engines for the 727. I've heard rumors that Eddie Rickenbacker (Eastern's President) said after the Electra II he would reject any Allison powered 727. Pratt & Whitney got the contract.
In 1968 Allegheny Airlines acquired Lake Central. After that they acquired Mohawk Airlines and the named changed to USAir. All three are part of USAirways history.
Werner Lindquist (pugman1948, LLC)
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